Wrapping and banding machine



1936- F. x. MALOCSAY 2,050,716

WRAPPING AND BANDING MACHINE Filed Feb. 27, 1954 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 6 N 3 N Q a Q k 2 3 i INVENTOR I FM/VCfSXJ'I/QL SAY BY N I I: 4 ATTORNEYS Aug. 11, 19306.

F. x. MALOCSAY 50,716

WRAPPING AND BANDING MACHINE Filed Feb. 27, 1934 '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNVENTOR I 3 HAL/V016 XMflL my N Y 1 i fi A TORNEYS Aug. 11, 1936. MALOCSAY 2,050,716

WRAPPING AND BANDING MACHINE Filed Feb. 27, 1934 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR 0 FAA/V016 x/mz-ocs )JBY ATTORNEYS Aug. 11, 1936.

F. X. MALOCSAY WRAPPING AND BANDING MACH Filed Feb. 27, 1934 INE 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 g/Bo 19360 F. x. MALOCSAY 2,050,716

WRAPPING AND BANDING MACHINE Filed Feb. 2'7, 1934 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Aug. 11, 1936. F. x. MALOCSAY 2,050,716

WRAPPING AND BANDING MACHINE Filed Feb. 27, 1954 7 Sheets-Sheet 'r INVENTOR FHA/V675 X/YAZUCSflY 4 ATTORN EYS Patented Aug.-11, 193s 'UNlTED STATES WRAPPING AND ammo momma Francis X. Malocsay, Upper Saddle River, N. 1., assignor to International Banding Machine Company, a corporation of New York Application February 21, 1934, Serial No. 713,116

9 Claims.

This invention relates to the art of handing and wrapping cigars, and more particularly to the wrapping of transparent wrappers and bands around cigars.

It is among the general objects of the present invention to provide an improved wrapping and banding mechanism, which will be entirely au-,

tomatic in its operation.

In prior copending applications to wit: Serial No. 590,571, filed February 3, 1932; Serial No. 603,815, filed April '7, 1932; Serial No. 608,378, filed April 30, 1932, and Serial No. 653,609, filed January 26, 1933, I have shown different machines and devices for accomplishing similar objects not alone in a general way but also that particular part of the operation with which the present invention is specifically concerned,-thesimultaneous feeding of the w-rappers and bands.

The present device therefore has for one of its specific aims and purposes, the providing of improved means of feeding cigar bands and wrappers simultaneously to a wrapping and handing position. In one of my previous applications, for example in the wrapping and banding machine, described in Serial No. 653,609, filed January 26, 1933, both the band and wrapper feed mechanisms were located at the rear of the machine, a wrapper being advanced by the feed rollers to a position underneath the band magazine from which a band is placed upon said wrapper, whereupon a reciprocating gripper carries both band and wrapper to a position beneath the wrapping and banding device, and over a cigar, which is raised from underneath into said combined wrapper and band, carrying them upwards into the banding and wrapping position properly. When in this stationary position, the wrapping, banding and sealing operations are performed, and the band will appear on the outside of the cigar wrapper, encircling the same.

The present invention differs mechanically from that disclosed in my copending application in that the wrapper feed rollers are located at the rear of the machine while the band magazine and band feeding device are positioned on the opposite or front side of the machine, separated from each other by the rectilinear cigar feeding and delivery path toward which both devices feed a wrapper and a band respectively in such a way that the band is put underneath the transparent wrapper and is visible therethrough, by means of a reciprocating gripper; thus both the band and the wrapper are deposited at the banding and wrapping position which consequently is located at the crossing point of the band and wrapper conveyor path, i. e. above the reciprocating gripper, and that of the cigar feed and delivery path, the wrapping device itself is positioned above this crossing point and the rest of the operations are somewhat analogous to 5 those mentioned before, with this difference, that the result will be a cigar banded directly within a superimposed wrapper so that the band will be visible through the said wrapper.

Considered more in detail it is among the 013- 10 jects of the present invention to provide a wrapper and band feed arrangement wherein a band magazine and a wrapper roll are placed facing each other and on opposite sides of a straight coursed cigar feeding and delivering path and 15 both adapted to feed a wrapper and band, superimposed upon each other, to a wrapping and banding device located within said path.

Another object is to provide a wrapper and band feeding device which will place a wrapper 20 over a band and both inunison over a cigar in a wrapping and banding position.

Another object of this invention is to devise a novel wrapper feeding device which is adjustable to accommodate wrapper rolls of different 25,

width, corresponding to cigars of different circumference. 9

Another object is to provide a. wrapper feeding device adapted to feed wrapper sections from a roll at an equalized tension.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel and self-adjusting means whereby equal wrapper sections are intermittently fed from a roll.

Another object of the invention is to provide 35 means of temporarily stiffening a pliable wrapper band while it is being fed from a pair of feed rollers to the knife and the gripper device of a reciprocating conveyor.

A further object is to provide a novel knife construction for separating wrapper portions from the feed. roll, adjacently to the wrapping device, which knife construction will not obstruct or retard the upward motion of the cut-off wrapper end during'the beginning of the wrapping operation.

Another object is to provide an adjustable band magazine with a simplified pneumatically operated band picking device which removes one band at a time from the bottom of the band stack in said magazine.

A further object of the inventiorris to provide a moistening device adapted to moisten the gummed end of a band while it is being picked from the band magazine.

out.

Another object of my invention, corollary to the last named, is to provide automatic means of simultaneously stopping the feeding of hands in such a case.

Other morespecific objects and advantages of the apparatus will appear as the nature of the improvements are better understood, the invention consisting substantially in the novel arrangementland correlation of instrumentalities .herein fully described and. illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein similar reference 7 characters are used to describe corresponding parts throughout the several views and then 11- .nally pointed out-andspeciflcally defined and indicated'in the appended claims.

The disclosure made the basis of exemplifying the present inventive concept suggests a practical embodiment thereof, but the invention is not .to be restricted to the exact details of this disclosure, 1 and the latter therefore is to be understood an illustrative, rather than a restrictive --stand-' point. It will be understood that the various features of the invention disclosed may be arately applicable despite their cooperation herein shown.

The invention may be more fully understood from the following description in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a top plan view of my improved banding and wrapping arrangement, showing the cigar feeding and discharge table, the wrapper feed mechanism on the right hand or rear side of the table and the band feed mechanism on the left hand or front side of the table. The wrapper roll supported on the feed rollers on the right side, as well as the band magazine on the left side, are omitted-only the brackets supporting the latter are indicated in section.

Fig. 2 is a partly sectional elevation, taken along the line 2-2, looking in the direction of the ar- 7 rows and showing the wrapper roll and feeding mechanism in cross-section, the wrapping device and wrapper and band gripper mechanism in front elevation and the band magazine and pertaining feed mechanism in cross section.

Fig. 3 shows an elevation of the band magazine and band picker as viewed from the rear edge of the machine.

Fig. 4 is a view looking at the upper or stationary part of the wrapper knife and the device which serves to stiffen the wrapper band when.

it comes forth from the front feed rolls.

Fig. 5 is a bottom view of the upper-knife showing the runners for guiding the wrapper.

Fig. 6 is a view, partly in section, showingthe band magazine the band conveying mechanism, its gripper being in closed position, having just received a cigar band from the band picker.

Fig. 7 shows the band conveyor at the extreme opposite end near the wrapper feed device, with the gripper jaws opened.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the gripper device along the line H of Fig. 7.

, supporting the various mechanisms as described Fig. 9 is a bottom view of the upper gripping jaw.

Fig. 10 is a cross sectional view along line lll of Fig.6.

Fig. 11 is a detail of the band moistening device, shown in sections during the band moistening operation.

Fig. 12 is a similar view of this device, in a position after the moistening.

Fig. 13 illustrates the means of actuating the hand moistener.

Fig. 14 is a view, partly in section, showing the mechanism for stopping the feed of bands, while it is ineffective, i. e. while a cigar lies underneath the feeler finger, and prevents its complete-del5 scent.

Fig. 15 is a similar view showing the mechanism in action, ,1. e. while no cigar stops the complete descent of the feeler finger.

Fig. 16 shows both the mechanism for operating the wrapper feed and the mechanism for reciprocating the wrapper and band conveyor.

Fig. 17 is a detail, pertaining to the arrangement in Fig. 16, showing the means for stopping the clutchsengsgement and consequently the 2 wrapperfeed when the supply of cigars to the wrapping station is interrup ed or ceases altogether. w I

Fig. 18-is a sectional view along the line 'll-IO of-Flg. 1, showing an inner end view of the wrap- Eper .feed.-roilers, ,also an elevation of the knife andthe free-wheeling feeder clutch.

Fig. 19 is a similar view, taken along the line ll-l9 of Fig. 1, showing, however, the feeder clutch in section.

Fig. 20 is a detail view, taken along line 20-19 of Fig. 19, showing the inner construction of this clutch.

Fig. 211s a section taken on line 2l-2l of Fig.

19 and showing the tension brake for the feed 40 rollers.

Fig. 22 shows the cam controlled drive of the rocking shaft from which the wrapper feed is actuated.

Similar characters denote similar throughout the different views.

Referring more in detail to the flgureslisted, Fig. 1 shows a top view of the table or frame I,

parts before.

Character W designates the wrapper feed: X, the band feed and moistening device; C, the cigar feed amid) the wrapping and banding station. The cigars are fed in a continuous row from the hopper, not shown in the drawings, but located at the upper end of the table I (above what is shown in, the drawing of Fig. 1). The type of this mechanism is fully described and illustrated in my former Patent No. 1,653,641, of December 27, 1927, as also in the copending applications, Ser. No. 492,437 ,(Cigar banding machines), filed October 31, 1930, as well as in Serial No. 519,347 (Cigar handling machines) filed March 2, 1931. From this hopper the cigars are fed into a belt feed, part of which is shown at the top of Fig. 1. This belt feed advances the cigars with an intermittent movement, the rest periods between the forward movements of the cigars being equal to 4 one complete cycle of operations necessary to complete the wrapping and handing of a cigar 70 by the machine. Then the cigars are. pushed one by one upon the top of a cigar elevator or plunger where they are covered by the combined band and wrapper, supplied to this location by the communicating conveyors. This location of the 75 9,000,110 cigar is indicated in Fig. 1 at n by dotted lines.

and vertically above this is installed the wrapping and handing mechanism, into which the rising plunger carries the cigar, folding at the same time the band and the superimposed wrapper.

around the three exposed sides of the cigar. This wrapping and banding mechanism is not shown in Fig. 1, but its front elevation, as well as the cigar elevator and plunger, can be seen in the middle part of Fig. 2. The details of the intermittent belt feed, as well as the construction and operation of the wrapping and feeding mechanism, and also the remaining parts of the whole machine, i.'e., the parts that belong to the drive and to the delivery of the wrapped and banded cigars, as far as they are not altered and described and'shown in their modified form in this specification, can be learned from my copending application, Ser. No. 653,609 (Wrapping and handing machine) filed January 26, 1933.

We will now proceed to describe the essential new devices and appurtenances by which the present invention differs from the machines disclosed in my former patents and copending applications.

Wrapper feeding device This device is illustrated mainly in Figs. 1, 2 and 18 to 21, while Fig. 16 shows the drive for it. A loose roll W (Fig. 2) of regenerated cellulose and of a width corresponding to the required wrapper width for the special kind of cigars handled by the machine is supported by a pair of roller sets, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The first set consists of the central pulley IOI, fixedly attached to the shaft I00 and the two slidably mounted rollers I02, both provided with an outer flange, adapted to keep the loose wrapper roll in central alignment. The guiding distance between the outer flanges can be adjusted by means of a right and left hand swivel screw I03 which passes through the webs of the three rollers IOI and I02 and also serves to couple them together. The second set comprises the supporting roller 51, provided with two rubber tires 92, spaced so as to guide the outer edges of the cellulose strip. This roller 51 can turn freely onthe shaft 59, while below and in eventual contact with it is provided another roller 56, formed with two cylindrical crowns 60, aligned with the rubber tires 92. See Fig. 19. This roller is fixedly secured to the driving shaft 58 on which also the clutch 62 and the sprocket 18 is mounted. Shaft I00 with the rollers IOI, I02 is driven from this shaft by means of a crossed belt drive I05, which connects the two grooved pulleys I06 and I04, fixedly mounted on the two shafts I00 and 58 respectively. As shaft 58 is driven in a counterclockwise direction and actuates the shaft 59 by a pair of gears, 91 and 98, mounted respectively on the two shafts, it is obvious that both shafts I00 and 59 will be rotated in a clockwise sense, thus imparting to the superimposed wrapper roll W a counter-clockwise rotation. The cellulose strip, unwinding from the bottom of the roll, travels around rollers IOI, I02 and glides along plate 11 which is fastened on top of bracket which latter serves as support for the bearings, in which the shafts I00, 59, and 58 are journaled. Thence the strip passes between the feed rollers 51 and 55 toward the knife mechanism to be described later. While the-rollers IM and 51, or rather the rubber tired rims of the latter are installed above said plate 11, tangentially in line with it, the roller 55 is placed tangentially below rollers is naturally spared out, so that the cellulose strip passing therebetween touches both rollers, transmitting the rotation of the lower to the upper rollers by friction. The grooved rear belt pulley I06 is slightly smaller in diameter than the driver pulley I04, to create a slight drag in its friction against the wrapper roll and thereby to keep an even tension on the strip of cellulose to be dragged from the roll. Thereby it is prevented that the hind roller through its momentum may loosen up too much of the strip before coming to a stop. Besides this there is provided a little idler 56' in order tokeep the wrapper sheet flattened before it enters between the front feed rollers.

As the thickness of the cellulose may vary and a1 very fine adjustment of the center to .center distance of the feed rollers is desirable, in order to regulate the frictional drag of the sheet, provision is made to accurately adjust this distance and thereby to control the forward pull on the wrapper strip. The ends 59a of shaft 59, which, as Fig. 19 shows, are diametrically reduced, are turned slightly eccentrically in relation to the roller axis. These two ends turn freely in the bushings 95 (see Fig. 19) which are journalled in the brackets 93 and 94 (Fig. 19)

These brackets, which also support the hind roller shaft I00, are part of an integral support on top of bracket 55 which can be slidably adjusted by means of the key 54. At one of -,these reduced shaft ends is secured a winged member 96 by which the shaft ends can be manually turned in their bearings, thereby lifting the eccentric middle part of the shaft slightly when the front end of a new cellulose strip is inserted. Thereafter, the roller 51 which turns freely on the non-rotating shaft 59, is allowed to drop into frictional contact with the cellulose strip and the underlying metal roller 56. Furthermore, the roller 51 is driven from the clutch shaft through the spur gears 98 and 91, each of which is fixedly attached to its adjacent feed roller.

The driving device for the feeding unit which is all supported on the bracket 55 will be described later in connection with the reciprocating conveyor drive. The bracket 55 is adjustably supported on the table I, by means of clamp bolt I23 which passes through the slot I22. See Fig. 2.

Wrapper cut-017 device In my former patents and applications which disclosed a wrapper cut-oil device wherein the wrapper strip, fed from a roll, was cut off in lengths, regulated by the length of the cigar, by means of a scissor-like cutter, the upper knife or blade was the moving part, the strip being fed over the lower or stationary blade. As in the present arrangement there is no longer a band feed device interposed between the wrapper feed and the wrapper folding mechanism, but the cut off wrapper section, being placed already in proper position over the cigar and the band, is immediately carried upward by the cigar elevator of the wrapping mechanism, the movable upper blade would obstruct this upward movement. The cutting action is therefore reversed in this construction, the upper blade being stationary, consisting of a narrow ledge only, the lower blade being hinged and swinging upwardly to cut oif the wrapper from below (see Fig. 18).

As the pliable wrapper strip, issuing from between the feed rollers 51 and 56 has to be fed forwardly over the knife pit and the reciprocat- -the same and the space between .the latter two ing carriage or gripper device in a horizontal straight course for more than a cigar length, this could not be accomplished without some means of stiffening the forthcoming strip by slightly bending it back and forth in a transverse direction. This means is illustrated in Figs. 4, 5 and 18. :Under the upper or stationary knife I08 which is secured to bracket 55 by screws ill! (see Fig. 1) is a thin plate I60 provided with two downwardly extending ridges or guide strips Iii, while the wrapper-supporting plate 11, mentioned before, is provided with a similar upwardly extending ridge I62. At the inner end, where the wrapper sheet issues from the feed rollers, these ridges are tapered off, as indicated in Fig. 5 (lilo) to facilitate the gradual curving of the sheet, and Fig. 4 indicates in which form the same passes over the knife gap and the band gripper device. 4

The stationary knife I" is provided with a feeler finger lit (see Figs. 2, 5, and 18) either integral with it or fixedly secured to it, adapted to pass between the rubber tires 92 and guide the wrapper strip by its protruding lip Ilia, soas to prevent its premature buckling up in the center. The cutting-off mechanism is actuated in the following manner. .Pivoted at I" (see Fig. 18) is the movable knife blade Ill, clamped to a onearmed lever III, which carries a pin III to hold the blade in proper relation, while a .bolt Ill passes through a hollow rocking shaft 2, (see also Figs. 19 and 1) journaled over and crossing the clutch shaft st. The bearing for this shaft is an integral part of the bracket ll. At the other end of this bolt is threaded a nut lll cushioned on a little coil spring III, by means of which the movable knife blade can be tightened in relation to the upper or stationary blade I08 to insure and regulate a proper shearing action. The free a -d of arm I I I has a stud I I! to which the forked end l2la of. the connecting rod l2l is linked by a universal joint I20 while the lower end of rod IN is pivoted to a stud on a cam lever, actuated by a special cam on the main cam shaft of the machine, but as this sort of drive forms a claimed part of my former applications, above listed, it;is not shown-in detail here.

Band feeding and momenta; device secured to table I, on the front side of the machine, are the two brackets 2-2 (see Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 6) which support the band magazine. Slidably Journaled therein are the two parallel shafts l and i which carry the band guides l and 1. Band guide 8 is fixedly secured to shaft! and slidably supported by shaft 5, whileband guide 1 on the contrary is fixedly secured to shaft 5 and slldably supported by shaft 4. Also carried by bearings in the brackets 2-2 is a left and right hand screw 8 on which the band guides and l are threaded in opposite senses, so that, when this swivel screw, which has smooth end trunniom within its bracket bearings, is rotated, the two band guides'either approach each other or are farther separated. The screw I has a knurled knob 'l at one end (Fig. 3) and it isevident from the foregoing description, that by, manually turning said knob the band guides may be adjusted to any length of the cigar band required. The horizontal cross section through the guides i or 1 shows .a channel form to accommodate the ends of a cigar band and are in themselves adjustable by means .of inlaid shim plates, (not shown) which can be pushed inwardly or released by screws ll, imbedded in the slidable supports of the band guides, said screws being manually operable by the knurled knob, forming their outer ends. This latter adjustment, however, may be effected also by other means, such as shown in my copending application, Serial No. 653,609, and formsno claimed feature of. this invention. At the foot of each band guide the bands are supported by little pins ll-H which prevent a spontaneous discharge of the same.

A water reservoir 21 is adjustably secured to table I by a screw 28, which clamps a slotted-lug 29 which is integral with the bottom of this container to the edge of table I. See Figs. 11 and 12. The horizontal screw slot (not especially shown) in the lug permits the adjustment of the reservoir toward and away from the center of the band magazine to accommodate bands of various length. In the end of the water reservoir which faces the wrapping device is provided a brush 30, held upright by a perforated casing 42 and located so as to be in linewith the suction end of the band picker l2 to be presently described. The water rises in this brush by capillary attraction.

Journaled in the brackets 2-2, right across the water reservoir, is a rocking shaft 3, and keyed on it or otherwise fixedly secured is the band separatlng member or band picker" 12 (see Figs.

1, 2, 3) a hollow boxlike little air chest, with a nipple I4 and air hose ii on the bottom and a row of suction holes II in the top surface of the free end which faces the'center of the bottom band of the stack, held in the band magazine. The middle portion of the suction surface is slightly depressed-as shown at It, to facilitate the separating of the stacked bands. The hose 15 leads to an automatically controlled valve (not shown) which controls the suction furnished by an exhaust pump. This suction chest, swung up and down by the rocking shaft 3, is adapted to pick one cigar band after the other from the bottom of the magazine stack and deposit it so that it can be taken up by the gripper jaws. Secured to an end of the rock shaft which projects from the bearing 2 is the crutch leveh 3| (see Figs. 1 and 13 mainly) which serves the purpose of raising or lowering the band-depressing finger 32.

As may best be seen from Figs. 14 and 15, a

' bracket 34 with a forked bearing is mounted in line with the brackets 2-2, but arranged in such a way that this bearing 34a, 34b is opposite andparallel to the rocker shaft 3. In this hearing is rotatably supported a shaft 32 whose protrudlng end is bent and offset at right angles and shaped like a crank, bearing at its extremity the finger 32. In the gap'which is formed between the two bearing portions 34a, b, a collar 35 with a set screw 36 is fitted around the shaft 33. By means of this collar the shaft 33 may be adiusted in an axial as well as in a rotary direction. By the. firstadjustment the finger I2 is aligned with the reservoir brush 3!) which in turn ought to be exactly underneath one end of the cigar bands stacked in the reservoir. A coil spring 31, fastened with one end to the set screw it, with the other end to an upright post or pin It of bracket 34, tends to keep the finger l2 normally depressed upon the brush 2!, while the crutch lever II when swinging upwards, raises the cranked shaft end and thereby the finger l2, so that the gummed end of a cigar band,

dropping from the reservoir, may directly land upon the wetted brush whereupon the released and spring-actuated finger 32 will press this band end firmly against the brush. when the band picker I2 is in its raised position, arm 3i, keyed on the same shaft is likewise raised, upholding the presser finger 32 against the tension of spring 31 and keeping it out of the way of the descending cigar band. When the band picker I2 swings down again, the air suction which at this time is turned on, withdraws a band from underneath the stack and from the supporting pins II, depositing it with the milled end upon the brush where it is moistened by the pressure of finger 32. Then the band picker and likewise the band pressing finger 32,.lifted by crutch lever 3|, is swung upwards, about bringing the band in line with the reciprocating band gripper I53, to be described later, at the same time shutting off the air suction. When the gripper has removed the band from the picker, the rocker arm 3 swings the band picker as well as the arm 3| and the finger 32 fully back to their raised position, ready to release a new band.

The rocking motion of shaft 3 is effected by a cam and lever device actuated by the main drive -of the machine. See Fig. 17. Secured at the right hand or delivery end of the working shaft is the lever arm I1 to the end of which is fastened, by means of stud I8, the connecting rod I9, the lower end of which has a stud 20 which is linked to one arm of a bell crank or double arm lever 2I,-mounted on the shaft 22 while the other arm of this lever carries a roller 23 which by the tension of a spring 28, connecting the lever 2| resiliently to a fixed point, is constantly pressed against a cam 24, fixedly mounted on cam shaft 25.

Band gripper mechanism A rail I50, consisting of a bar of rectangular cross-section, mounted on its narrow side, spans the path along which the cigars are travelling, and is bolted in the center to the upper leg I5I a of an inverted angle bracket I5I which itself is fastened by bolts I52 stationarily'to the main frame I of the machine (see Figs. 1, 2, 3, 6, 7 and 16) On this rail is slidably mounted the gripper frame I53 which partly surrounds the bar I50 in a manner best seen from the right hand side of Fig. 14, and is itself attached to a link" of the sprocket chain I by which it can be reciprocatingly drawn back and forth over the rail I50. This drive will be described in detail later From the rectangular bed-plate which forms the top of the gripper frame I53 and surrounds the upper edgeof the rail I50 in the form of a sliding channel, rise four upstanding lugs, one at each corner, I90, I90 at the wrapper feeding end and I89, I89 at the band feeding end. The sliding member I19 is confined and guided between these lugs and comprises a flat rectangular slide I19a and a square shank I195 integral with and rising from this slide which carries on its top a peculiarly formed tongue (shown in detail in Fig. 9) integral and solid with it and serving as theupper or stationary gripper jaw I80. An inserted piece I9I, fastened with screws between the lugs I89, serves as the upper guide plate for the slide I19 and encases a spring tension button I93 which exerts a slight friction upon the sliding plate and tends to prevent its spontaneous dislocation after being shifted from one stop to the other. See Figs. 7 and 8. Similarly an inserted piece I92 between the rear lugs I90 serves as the rear top guide. This piece, however, might be cast integral with the frame and the lugs, if preferred.

neath the band tucking finger (marked F, Fig. 2).

The lower movable gripper jaw I83 whose top view is shown in Fig. 8 and cross section in Fig. 10, consists substantially of a forked piece or a square rectangular pad with two ears at the end which embrace and are linked to the shank I18!) 5 of the stationary jaw member by means of the driven stud I82. Another stud or pin I84 passes through the free end of the gripper jaw and its protruding end is linked to the depending arm I85 which In turn is pivoted to the free end of bracket I81 by stud I08, said bracket being fixedly attached to the gripper frame I53 by screws I88, as can be seen from Figs. '1 and 8. At the front end 'of the rail bar I50-is provided a stop I91 and at the rear end a similar stop I98. If now the gripper frame is carried over the sliding rail I50 by the drag of the chain I54 toward the band feed device while the gripper jaws are in the position, shown in Fig. '7, and the band picker I2 holds a band extended into the path of the 20 oncoming gripper, the upper jaw I80 will pass over the band while the lower jaw I83 passes underneath it. The gripper device then continues to move to the left until the projecting end of the slide bar marked A (Fig. '7) strikes the 25 step pin I91. This brings the bar to a stop, while the gripper frame I53 continues its travel for a very short distance yet (due to the chain operating mechanism) until it reaches the position indicated in Fig. 6. During this short ex- 30 tension of the motion of the frame the bar I19, although held stationary, is pushed backward in its bearings, i. e. in relation to the frame. The upper jaw, being integrally attached to the slide bar, has also come tcaa stop but the still 3 forwardly moving frame with the bracket I81 straightens out the link I85, thereby raising the free end of the lower gripper jaw and clamping the ungummed end of the band firmly, while the suction at the same time is cut off the band picker. The latter having released the band, the gripper frame with parts in the position shown in Fig. 6, conveys the band to the right until it reaches the position where the band is under- 45 There the protruding right hand or rear end of the slide bar, marked B (Fig. 6) strikes the stop pin I98, comes to a stop, while the frame I53 still advances for a very short distance, thereby lowering the free end of the gripping jaw and releasing the band. The latter is carried away with the superimposed wrapper by the cigar which is elevated from below by the plunger, forming a part of the wrapping mechanism.

It remains to describe certain mechanical details of the gripper jaws. As the lower jaw is pivoted on pin I82 and alternately swings up or down through a small arc, there must of course be enough clearance provided between the underside of the jaw and the sliding bar I19. As the cross section through both jaws in Fig. 10 shows, they do not meet with straight horizontal gripping surfaces but show a peculiar reciprocal indentation. The lower jaw has a deep recess 200 intowhich a short projection 202 of the upper jaw fits. Adjacent to this, toward the hand side, the lower jaw presents a narrow square cornered tooth 203 with a sharp edge 20I over which the ungummed end' of the band is creased when the jaws close. Owing to variations in cigar sizes, the bands are sometimes a little too long for smaller cigars and it was found that crimping and bending down of the ungummed end of the bands helps to fold and seal the ends properly. The inner portion of the lowerjaw, adjacent to tooth fl! is recessed, as indicated at ill, except that across this recessed part a ridge Ill, having a wedge shaped upper edge. as indicated in Pig. 7, is provided, which edge fits into acorresponding groove III in the upper jaw. This secures a firmer grip upon the band. Finally, adiacentto the lug III, a tongue I" (Fig. 8) pro- ,iects from the inserted guide piece ill, and when the laws are opened, as in Fig. '1. serves to guide the band over the sharp edge of the ridge I.

Reciprocating drive for wrapper and bond feed The wrapper feed is operated by a chain drive 10 (Figs. 1, 2 and 16) which engages a sprocket ll forming an integral part of the hub of the clutch cup 02, mounted loosely upon the sleeve OI on the clutch shaft '0, on which the lower feed roller II is fixedly mounted, as described before. Theclutch is of a well-known freewheeling type, wherein a number of springactuated balls ll are each encased in a wedgeshaped clearance, formed between a clutch member 64, fixedly mounted on the shaft 58 by the key 88, and the cup-shaped end 62a of the member 82. Looking at Fig. 20 it isapparent that if the cup rim to is turned counter-clockwise it will wedge all three balls 85 into the pointed ends of the clearances and thereby force the inner member 84 to rotate in a counter-clockwise sense; also, if the cup is turned clockwise it will force the balls into the wider ends of the clearances (against the tension of the springs Ila) thereby lessening the friction, and permitting a free wheeling action of the cup over the clutch member N. The projecting end of shaft 58 is threaded and over it is fitted a flanged thimble it whicn serves as anti-friction bushing for the loosely mounted ratchet wheel Ilwhose purpose and function will be explained later.

In order to prevent any excessive rotation of the feed rollers "-61 by their momentum, after the clutch has been released, a spring tension brake 14 (see Fig. 21) is provided which has a retarding action on the hub to of roller 58 and is of well known construction. The brake is kept from turning with the shaft by a pin It which anchors the brake band to the supporting plate 71.

with one end to a bracket 04 by means of stud 83 (see Fig. 16) Bracket 84 is fastened to the frame I by screws "-08. Then the chain forms a downward loop over the floating sprocket 88, passes upwardly over the fixed sprocket 18 on the clutch hub 62 and goes to the spring drum It, where it is anchored to a stud II. This drum is separately mounted on a stud 82, behind the clutch shaft and encases a clock spring (not shown), one end of which is secured to the stud l2 and the other carried by a clip on the drum interior. The sprocket 8! is mounted to turn freely on a stud 81 provided on the free end of arm I secured to rock shaft 89 which is supported by suitable bearings in frame I. Secured to an outer end of rock shaft 89 is an arm Ill (see Fig. 22), its free'end being provided with a stud ii. A connecting rod 98 is linked with'one end to this stud and with the other end to a swivel stud III which is adjustably seated in a diametrically located groove 20! of the: disk 20!, fixedly attached to the end of the cam shaft Ill of the machine. The rocking of shaft 89 imparts an up and down movement of arm 8| which results'in alternately releasing or hauling in of chain 10.

Thus clutch cup I! when rotated in a counterclockwise direction will actuate clutch member 84 and thereby the feed rollers ll, I'I, simultaneously winding up the clockspring within the drum 00, but when released, the clutch will be disengaged and the wound-up spring will pull the chain back and the arm ll upward again, while the clutch cup I rotates freely around the member 04, the clutch shaft is meanwhile remaining stationary. It is also apparent, that the length 10 of wrappers to be fed from the roll can be controlled by adjusting the eccentricity of stud Ill. The reciprocating movement of the gripper frame III is effected in the following manner.

As said before, the frame is attached to a link 15 of the sprocket chain I (Fig. 16). The horizontal'rim of this chain is guided'over the two sprockets Ill on stationary stud it! at the front and sprocket III on stud I" at the rear of the machine frame I. The downward extending portion 90 of the chain at the rear supports a counterweight III which serves to pull the chain and gripper frame automatically from the band supplying position If to the wrapping position D (Fig. 2) when the pull at the front end of the chain is 25 released. The front end of the chain I is looped around the floating sprocket Ill, freely rotatable on stud ill, secured in the free end of curved lever I12, which is loosely mounted on rock shaft". This lever has a lateral ear or extension i1! which carries a stud I'll on which is linked a connecting rod I'll, leading to a stud I10, mounted eccentrically on a disk I" which is rotating at the end of a shaft in, Journaled in frame I and driven by a chain and sprockets from the main cam shaft of the machine (not especially illustrated). The rotation of the shaft Ill and the disk I'll imparts a reciprocating swing around shaft I. to the loosely mounted lever I12 which thereby swings the sprocket I10 in an are 40 around and below the shaft, thereby pulling the chain and the attached gripper frame toward, the band feeding position, while on the return swing the weight it! helps to return the frame together with the chain toward the banding and wrapping position.

Device for stopping the band and wrapper feed when the supply of cigars is interrupted With the former cigar wrapping and banding machines there used to be sometimes a considerable loss of material involved, when for some reason or other the supply of cigars was interrupted while the supply of bands or of wrappers continued. Not alone that wrapping and banding material was wasted but the loosely handled enveloping material without any substantial core in them was liable to clutter up the operating parts and get enmeshed into the machinery, thus occasioning eventual interruptions of the smooth working of the machines. These drawbacks are overcome by the installation about to be described.

At right angles to the band feeder rocking shaft 3 and the parallel rocking shaft 33, there is installed a rock shaft 39 which is joumaled in a forked bearing li -4i of a bracket 43, bolted to frame I, with both ends of the shaft protruding from the bearings. At one end, where the shaft points toward the cigar feed conveyor, is secured an arm 40 which hasv at its end a crutch-like extension lOa, adapted to serve as a feeler finger, dropping down upon the cigars, as they are fed successively into their last position, before being delivered'into the banding and wrapping position (see Figs. 1, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15). At the opposite outer end is provided a downwardly extending arm '44, which at its end carries a stud 44 to which a connecting link 48 is attached, leading to a cam lever, actuated by a cam (not shown) which'gives to the rocking shaft and the attached feeler arm an up and down movement. The touch of the ieeler finger is lightened by a coil spring I49 inserted between the outer bearing 4| and the arm 44, said spring being attached at one end to the bearing bracket and at the other end to the downwardly extending arm 44 (see Figs. 1 and 13). At the same time the arm 44 is keyed on the shaft by suitable means in such a way that in addition to the rocking motion which is communicated from the lever connection 44-43 to the feeler finger 40 there is a short dead motion of arm 44 in relation to the shaft 33 possible, in case that the downward movement of the finger is checked before it reaches its lowest possible position. Normally this is the case, as the descent of the finger is stopped by the cigars which are successively pushed in its path, as can be seen in Fig. 14. If, however, it should happen, that no cigar is present, the feeler'finger descends to a lower level. as Fig. 15 indicates, and the following device gets into action.

To shaft 39 is secured the arm 43 by being keyed or otherwise fixedly attached between the bearings 4| (Fig. 1). In front of this arm is a cross-shaped latch 41, pivotally fastened in the bracket 34 at 41d and with three branches,-4Ia, which rests upon the cushion spring 41'; 41b which acts as a stop, and 48 which has a tapered off top, adapted to engage a lateral projection or nose 49, integral with crutch lever 3|, which nose is adapted to lock latch 41 in place as long as it bears down upon it, as Fig. 15 shows. If arm 46 is swung down deep enough by the descent of the feeler finger 40, it depresses the latch branch 41a. compressing the spring, and swings the upper end 48 toward the lever 3| which, as explained before, controls the band pressing finger and is-also, through the shaft 3, coupled with the band picker It. When these two therefore are in their highest position, the end 48 slips underneath the nose 49 and locks the rock shaft, preventing thereby further feeding and moistening of bands. At the end of shaft 3, the connectionwith the cam-controlled rod I9 is, as Figs. 16 and 17 show, made in such a way that rocking movement of arm II which is mounted loosely on shaft 3, is in this case taken up by the dead movement of pin ||a, fastened to within the slot 50a in the bell-crank 50, which latter is fixedly mounted on the endof shaft 3. Only when the arm 3| is released, the spring connection ||b which tends todraw the free leg of the bell-crank toward the connecting rod l9, at the same time keeping the pin "a in the lower end of the slot, makes the arm l1 and the bell-crank 50 oscillate in unison. thus imparting a rocking motion to the shaft 3. Although, with the arm 3| locked in its upper position, the feeler finger continues its up and down motion, the end 48 of the latch will be able to slip clear of nose 49 only, by the help of spring 41' when a cigar interferes with the complete downward movement of the feeler 40. During each cycle of operation, the highest point of cam 24 imparts in spite of the interlocking action a very slight rocking motion to the shaft 3 which is just enough to let,the end 48 slip out from underneath the nose 49, if during the lift of the arm 3| the arm 46 is not sufliciently lowered to keep the spring 41' from expanding.

We will now consider by what means the feeding of wrappers is stopped simultaneously, if the rocking shaft 3 is locked.

To the free end of the slotted bell crank 33 is linked the bar 5| (Fig. 16) which is guided on its far end by a flanged collar 38. fastened by 'a through-pin to the shaft 88 of the feed roller 88 (Figs. 18 and 19). The bar carries a pawl 52 which engages the teeth of ratchet wheel 53 (mentioned before). Collar 68 has a lateral prol0 jection 38 which extends into a notch 10 in the hub ll of the ratchet wheel. A cushion spring 12 located in collar 68 tends to keep the ratchet wheel 33 in its relative torsion against collar 88 and the clutch member 84, i. e. ratchet wheel 53 15 If it is turned clockwise in rela- 20 chain-driven clutch member 82. Thus, when the 25 bar BI and pawl 32 keeps the ratchet wheel in clockwise tension against the clutch member 34, the clutch is made inactive and any further feeding of the wrappers is stopped. Again, as soon as rocker shaft 3 is lowered again by the removal of catch 48, the pawl 52 is simultaneously withdrawn and clutch shaft 38 starts rotating intermittently again.

Gamming attachment for wrappers Wrappers made of regenerated cellulose are commonly sealed by heat application to the overlapping rims whereby the moisture-proof coating of the cellulose is partly fused and made adhe-' sive; furthermore the band, if placed on the outside, also helps to keep the wrapper closed. If, however, as in this case, the band is placed directly on the cigar, some manufacturers insist on using a special adhesive which is known by the trade name of Cellusolve. This composition is also known by the name of ethylene glycol monomethyl ether, which attacks the moistureproof coatiim, making it adhesive. Very little of it needs to be applied, as it spreads quickly under heat and it produces a very reliable seal.

Thus all the enumerated objects of the invention are obtained in an efllcient, economical and simple manner and all the mechanical devices described are coordinated to automatically and synchronously perform the functions required.

It is obvious from the foregoing detailed description of my invention, that I have produced a novel cigar wrapping and banding machine, having coordinated mechanism to automatically apply a cigar band around a cigar and wrap a transparent wrapper over it so that the band is visible through the wrapper, said mechanism including means while wrapping the band and wrapper around the cigars to cause the ends ,of the band to be properly overlapped before the ends of the wrapper are overlapped so as to allow the Evrapper to be removed without removing the In accordance with the provisions of the patent statute, I have described my invention, but I desire it understood that it is not confined to the particular form shown and described, the same being merely illustrative, and that the invention can be carried out in other wayswithout departing from the spirit of my invention, and therefore. I claim broadly the right to employ m equivalent instrumentalities comim within the scope of the appended claims and by means of which, objects of my invention are attained and new results accomplished, as it is obvious that I 1. In a cigar wrapping and banding machine, comprising a wrapping and banding device,

adapted to wrap and band cigars at a single station and a wrapper feeding device, adapted to guide separated wrapper portions from a loose roll of endless wrapper material directly into said wrapping and handing device, means to intermittently feed wrapping material to the wrapping station at equalized tension, saidmeans comprising a pair of supporting friction rollers for the loose wrapper roll, one serving as a driven delivery roller, the other one as an idler, said driven roller being of slightly smaller diameter than the idler, thereby causing a slight drag on the endless sheet to be unwound between the roll and the driven roller, and eliminating any tendency to unwind ahead of the length drawn by said roller when the drive is stopped.

2. In a cigar wrapping machine, the combination with a pair of friction rollers, adapted to deliver between them a wrapper portion from an endless wrapper roll to a wrapping station: of self-adjusting and automatic means to intermittently deliver wrapper portions of any required length from these rollers, said means comprising a free wheeling and self-releasing clutch, axially coupled to one of said friction rollers and adapted to drive said roller in the direction of wrapper delivery only, a chain and sprocket drive, adapted to rotate said clutch in either direction, a drum, to which one end of the chain is tangentially attached and containing a clock spring, adapted the other end of the chain, the spontanedusunwinding of the clock spring causing the return of ,the chain and the clutch into its starting position.

3. In a cigar wrapping and handing machine,

the combination with a wrapper feeding device,

adapted to deliver a wrapper sheet on top of a cigar and a distant band supply device; of a reciprocating conveyor, provided with a gripp r mechanism, adapted to fetch a band from said supply device. in an opposite direction from that of the wrapper feed. crimp, the ungummed end of the band and insert said hand between the cigar and the wrapper sheet before the latter comes into contact with the cigar.

4. In a cigar wrapping and handing machine, the combination with a wrapper feeding device, adapted to deliver a wrapper-sheet on top of a cigar and a distant band supply device; of a conveyor, provided with a gripper mechanism, adapted to fetch a 'bandfrom said supp device in ,an opposite direction'from that of the wrapper feed, crimp the ungummedl end of the band and insert said band between the cigar and the wrapper before the latter contacts the cigar, said conveyor adapted to travel reciprocatingly between two stops, onenear the band supply mom deviceand one at the end of the conveyor course,

adjacent to the cigar, and means cooperatively connected with said stops, to close the gripp r over the band when the conveyor reaches the first stop, and to open the gripp r and release the band, when the conveyor reaches the second stop.

5. In a cigar wrapping and handing machine. the combination with a wrapper supply device, adapted to deliver a wrapper over a cigar in a wrapping and banding position, a distant band supply device and a reciprocating conveyor, adapted to fetch a hand from the band supply device and insert it between the cigar and the wrapper before they come into actual contact; of a chain and sprocket drive to intermittently actuate the wrapper supply device, a separate chain and sprocket drive to actuate the reciprocating conveyor, tension means cooperatively connected with said chain drives and adapted to store up 20 thereby the chain drives respectively to their in- 25 itial position before the operative phase.

6. In a cigar wrapping and handing machine, the combination with a wrapper supply device, adapted to deliver a wrapper over a cigar in a wrapping and handing position, a distant band supply device and a adapted to fetch a band from the band supply device and insert it between the cigar and the wrapper before they come into actual contact; of a chain and sprocket drive to intermittently actuate the wrapper supply device, a separate chain and sprocket drive to actuate the reciprocating conveyor, tension means cooperatively connected with said chain drives and adapted to store up potential energy by the action of the chain drives during the operative phase and to spend said energy during the inoperative phase, restoringthereby the chain drives respectively to their initial position before the operative phase, said chain drives being so coordinated that their active and inactive phases synchronously coin- 7. In a cigar wrapping and handing machine, the combination with a wrapper feeding device, adapted to deliver a wrapper sheet on top of a cigar and a distant band supply device; of a reciprocating conveyor, provided with a gripper mechanism and adapted to fetch a band from said supply device and insert it between the cigar and the wrapper sheet before the latter comes into contact with the cigar, said gripper mecha-- nism having means to crease the ungummed end of the band in adirection to bring it nearer to the cigar body when said band is folded after wards around the. cigar.

8. In a cigar wrapping and banding machine, the combination with a band feeding device, comprising a band magazine and a reciprocating band picker, adapted to abstract a band from said magazine by suction; of means to stop the feed-' ing of further bands from the magazine when the supply of cigars to the machine is interrupted, said means comprising a feeier' fingerwhich intermittently contacts the cigars while they are fed into the banding mechanism, an escapement device connected in such a way with the reciprocating means of the band picker as to block their free movement when interfering, and cooperating means whereby the feelerfinger, when missing the contact with a cigar, will cause the interference of the escapement device with reciprocating conveyor, 30

the reciprocating movement of the band picker.

9. In a cigar wrapping and handing machine, the combination with a band supplying device, comprising means of automatically stopping the supply of hands when the supply of cigars to the machine is stopped, and a wrapper supplying device, actuated by a free-wheeling clutch, adapted to set said wrapper supplying device in operation only when rotating in one direction; of

10 automatic means to simultaneously stop the wrapper supply when the band supply ceases, said means comprising an escapement device adapted to prevent the rotation of the clutch in the operative direction when interfering, and coupling means to cooperatively connect said escapement device with the automatic stopping means of the band supply device so as to cause the synchronous interference of the escapement device with the tree rotation of the clutch.

FRANCIS X. MALOCSAY. 

